Bed-pan.



No. 747,517. PATBNTBD DEG. 22,1903. 1). A. WALTZ & c. w. BAILEY.

BED PAN.- I

APPLIOATIOH FILED JAN. 27.19%.

NO MODEL.

Q W M C/zai ZeJ W2 m: nouns versus no. mtouma. WASNINGYQN a UNITEDSTATES Patented December 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

DORA A. WALTZ, OF COLUMBUS, OHIO, AND CHARLES -W. DAILEY, OF ANN ARBOR,MICHIGAN.

BED-PAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 747,517, dated December22, 1903.

Application filed January 27. 1903. Serial No. 140,704. (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, DORA A. WALTZ, residing at Columbus, in the countyof Franklin and State of Ohio, and CHARLES W. DAILEY, residing at AnnArbor, in the county of Washtenaw and State ofMichigan, citizens of theUnited States, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement inBed-Pans, of

which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bed-pans, and has for its object to provide animproved device of this character which is particularly adapted forconveniently inserting the same between the legs and beneath the body ofa person lying on a bed. It is furthermore designed to have the devicearranged so as to be entirely closed by the body of the person to whichit may be applied, and thereby to efiectually obviate splattering offetid matter upon the bed, an objectionable feature common to ordinarybed-pans.

With' these and other objects in view the present invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter morefully described, shown in the acpanying drawings, and particularlypointed out in the appended claim, it being understood that changes inthe form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within thescope of the claim without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bed-pan constructedand arranged in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is alongitudinal sectional View thereof. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of thepan. Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view on the line 4. 4: of Fig. 3. Fig.5 is a rear end view of the pan.

Like characters of reference designate cor responding parts in all ofthe figures of the drawings.

Referring-to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates the body or seatportion of the pan,which is elongated and of elliptical shape, with itsopposite longitudinal side portions 2 and its front end 3 bowed orrounded upwardly and inwardly, so as to overhang the bottom of the bodyand form an inner marginal flange to prevent overflow of the contents ofthe pan and form the seat proper for the support of the body of theperson using the pan. -The body of the pan is gradually enlarged fromthe front to the rear thereof and at its rear end is provided with anupstanding substantially semispherical extension or hood 4, the topportion of which is extended forwardly and overhangs the seat portion inthe form of a pommel 5, which is adapted to contact with the abdomen ofthe user, and thereby stop the pan when it has been properly positionedfor use. As best indicated in Fig. 3, it will be seen that the pommelportion is tapered or contracted toward its front end, and the oppositeupright sides of the hood portion are curved inwardly, as at 6, so as toslightly contract the width of the hood and form seats or recesses forthe reception of the thighs of the user, and thereby to obviate thenecessity of the user spreading his legs to an uncomfortable extent.

This feature is very important, as it renders the pan comfortable whenin use. The opening 7 in the seat portion of the pan extends well upinto the hood portion, so as to receive all discharge from the userwhich does not immediately drop down into the body of the pan. 7

For convenience in pouring out the contents of the pan there is atubular spout 8, which extends upwardly froin about the middle of thehood portion 4, and this spout also serves as a handle for applying andremoving the pan from a person.

It will here be observed that the open lower end of the spout isdisposed above the plane of the top of the seat portion of the pan,wherefore the contents of the pan cannot have access to the spout in thenormal position of the pan, and it would require considerable tilting ofthe pan to permit of the contents thereof running into the spout. Thisis a very important feature, as it prevents overflow through the spout,and when the pan is being carried by the spout there is little or nodanger of the contents of the pan running out through the spout.

In applying the pan to a person one hand is grasped upon the spout orhandle 8 and the other hand is placed against the back of the hoodportion while the entire device is pushed forwardly between the legs ofthe patient with the front end of the seat inserted beneath the bodyuntil the pommel or front end of the hood engages the abdomen, when thepan is stopped in the most effective position for use. It will here benoted that the thighs of the patient fit snugly and conveniently in theseats or concavities 6 at the opposite sides of the hood, thus obviatingan uncomfortable straddling of the legs, and the body of the patientcompletely covers the opening 7 in the seat and also in the front of thehood, whereby it is impossible for any of the discharge to escape fromthe pan or fail to enter the same and soiling of the bed is prevented.Furthermore, as the hood portion overhangs the abdomen of the user it iseffective with males as well as with females, and in view of the greatdepth from front to rear of the hood portion splattering of the body ofthe patient is obviated. The pan may be conveniently removed by graspingthe handle 8 and withdrawing the device from between the legs of thepatient without disturbing him in any manner whatsoever and withoutdanger of spilling the contents of the pan.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed, and desired to besecured by Letters Patent, is

A bed-pan, consisting of a substantially elliptical body which tapersfrom front to rear and is provided in its top with a substantiallyelliptical opening, the side walls of the pan being rounded upwardly andinwardly to overhang the bottom of the pan and form a peripheralseat-flange, the rear end of the body being extended upwardly to formasnbstantially semispherical hood having its upper front end flaredupwardly in the form of a pommel which is also projected forwardly tooverhang the opening in the pan, said opening being extended upwardly inthe front of the hood and terminated at the top of the pommel, theopposite upright sides of the hood being concaved to form seats for thereception of the thighs of the user, and a tubular spout and handlerising from the back of the hood, with its lower end disposed above thetop of the body of the pan.

DORA A. WALTZ. CHARLES W. DAILEY.

In presence of- W. L. MoRRow, A. L. PHELPS.

